What is the Estonian keyboard layout?

The Estonian keyboard layout is a regional variant of the QWERTY layout designed specifically for typing in Estonian. Based on the ISO physical keyboard standard (common in Europe), it includes four special Estonian letters: õ, ä, ö, and ü. These vowels with diacritical marks are essential for correct Estonian spelling and pronunciation.

The Estonian layout places these special characters in convenient locations: ü and õ are positioned to the right of P, while ö and ä are to the right of L. This arrangement allows Estonian speakers to type their native language efficiently without relying on character codes or copy-pasting special characters.

Why does Estonian need special keyboard characters?

Estonian is a Finno-Ugric language that uses four additional vowels not found in the basic Latin alphabet. The letters õ, ä, ö, and ü represent distinct sounds that change word meanings entirely. For example, "öö" means "night" while "oo" would be meaningless, and "tühi" (empty) is completely different from "tuhi."

Without these characters, Estonian text becomes difficult to read and can lead to misunderstandings. This is why having a proper Estonian keyboard layout—whether physical or virtual—is essential for anyone writing in Estonian.

How does a virtual Estonian keyboard work?

A virtual Estonian keyboard displays all characters on screen, allowing you to type Estonian text by clicking keys with your mouse or tapping on a touchscreen. When you click a key, the software outputs the corresponding character. Modifier keys like Shift produce uppercase letters or alternative symbols, while Caps Lock enables continuous uppercase typing.

This tool features the distinctive ISO keyboard design used in Estonia, which includes a tall Enter key that spans two rows—a visual characteristic that distinguishes European keyboards from the ANSI layout commonly used in the United States.

Tool description

This Estonian Virtual Keyboard Typer provides a fully functional on-screen Estonian keyboard that allows you to type Estonian text by clicking keys with your mouse. The tool displays the standard Estonian Windows keyboard layout with all Latin letters, the four Estonian special characters (õ, ä, ö, ü), and Estonian-specific symbols.

The keyboard responds to Shift clicks for uppercase letters and special characters, and supports Caps Lock for continuous uppercase typing. All typed text appears in real-time in the editable text area above the keyboard.

Features

  • Complete Estonian layout - Standard Estonian Windows keyboard layout with all four Estonian special characters (õ, ä, ö, ü) and Estonian punctuation symbols
  • ISO keyboard design - Authentic European keyboard layout with tall Enter key spanning two rows, matching physical Estonian keyboards
  • Shift and Caps Lock support - Click Shift before a key for uppercase letters, or toggle Caps Lock for continuous uppercase typing
  • Visual key feedback - Keys highlight when pressed, providing clear visual confirmation of your input
  • Editable output - The text area is fully editable, allowing you to make corrections directly

Use cases

  • Typing Estonian without an Estonian keyboard - Type Estonian text on computers that only have standard Latin keyboards installed, such as when traveling abroad, using shared computers, or at internet cafés
  • Learning Estonian - Practice typing in Estonian and familiarize yourself with the keyboard layout while learning the language, with visual feedback showing where each character is located
  • Occasional Estonian input - Quickly type Estonian names, addresses, or short phrases without switching your entire system keyboard layout or memorizing Alt codes for special characters
  • Accessibility - Type Estonian text when a physical keyboard is unavailable or difficult to use, particularly useful for users with mobility limitations who prefer mouse-based input
  • Writing Estonian content abroad - Create Estonian documents, emails, or social media posts when working on computers in non-Estonian-speaking countries that lack Estonian keyboard support